Pee Wee Reese
| Pee Wee Reese | |
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| Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers - No. 1 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born: July 23, 1918 Ekron , United States 
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| Died on: August 14, 1999 Louisville United States
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| Suggested: Right | Threw: Right |
| Debut in Major League Baseball | |
| April 23, 1940 with the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| Last MLB assignment | |
| September 26, 1958 with the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics (until end of career) |
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| Batting average | , 269 |
| Hits | 2,170 |
| Runs Batted In | 885 |
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| member of | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame
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| Recorded | 1984 |
| Special selection | Veteran's Committee |
Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese (born July 23, 1918 in Ekron , Kentucky , † August 14, 1999 in Louisville , Kentucky) was an American baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball . The shortstop won the 1955 World Series with the Dodgers , was a ten-time All-Star and has been a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1984 . In addition to his sporting merits, Reese is known for his respectful dealings with teammate Jackie Robinson , the first African American in the MLB.
Career
Reese got his nickname "Pee Wee" (Eng .: little marble) because he had great talent in playing marbles as a child. In his youth, he was considered one of the most talented short stops in Kentucky, so the Boston Red Sox wanted to include him in their professional team. But when the aging Red Sox player-coach Joe Cronin occupied the position, he vetoed and got Reese transferred to the Brooklyn Dodgers for $ 35,000. This is considered to be one of the biggest bargains in Dodger history.
After Reese did his military service, he established himself as one of the most versatile shortstops of his generation. Although contemporaries such as Stan Musial , Enos Slaughter or Willie Mays were always rated a little higher, Reese regularly landed in the top 10 of the "Most Valuable Player" rankings (choice for the most valuable player). On the offensive, Reese was typically good for 150 hits, 90 runs, 70 batted in runs, 20 steals and a batting average of .270, and on the defensive he was considered one of the best double play players. Reese reached the World Series seven times with the Dodgers and won it once (1955).
Off the field, Reese is known for his anti- segregation efforts. When the Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson, the first black man in MLB, in 1947, Robinson suffered a lot of racial abuse. At the first game of the season, Reese went to Robinson, hugged him and cheered him up - which was an unheard of process at the time. Robinson and Reese became one of the most feared second base / shortstop combinations of the 1950s. Reese later downplayed his actions by referring to his role as captain of the team, but Reese became a hero to Robinson and many other African Americans.
After Reese retired, the Dodgers withdrew his # 1 jersey forever. After his career, Reese worked for Hillerich & Bradsby .
Private life
Reese married his wife Dottie in 1942. They had two children and remained a couple until his death.
Reese's father Carl was a detective and an opponent of racial segregation in Kentucky, which was then still segregated. When he was a child, Carl Reese led him to a tree where several black people had been lynched and warned him of the consequences of racism. This led Reese to respect black people all his life, although in Kentucky he "never had the chance" to meet an African-American: Jackie Robinson was, according to him, "the first black person in his life to shake hands".
"You can hate a man for many things, but not for the color of his skin."
Web links
- Player information and statistics from Baseball Reference or Fangraphs or The Baseball Cube or Baseball Reference (Minor League) (English)
- Pee Wee Reese in the database of Find a Grave (English)
- Pee Wee Reese in the Baseball Hall of Fame (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Harold "Pee Wee" Reese - Youth In Kentucky , sports.jrank.org.
- ↑ [1947: A time for change], original quote: "You can hate a man for many reasons," Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese said, famously coming to the defense of his longtime double-play partner [Jackie Robinson] after the abuse intensified . "Color is not one of them." MLB.com
| personal data | |
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| SURNAME | Reese, Pee Wee |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Reese, Harold Henry (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American baseball player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 23, 1918 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ekron , Kentucky |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 14, 1999 |
| Place of death | Louisville , Kentucky |